Products which are applied to the skin such as cosmetics or lotions often use petroleum jelly as a base. Petroleum jelly is inexpensive, abundant, and can be smoothly applied to the skin However, petroleum jelly has a number of disadvantages. In particular, petroleum jelly is a petroleum based product which may cause dermatitis on the skin and can be toxic. Also of rather recent importance to more people is the fact that they consider petroleum based products objectionable.
In recent years, more skin care products have become available which utilize natural oils and ingredients in place of petroleum jelly. Examples of such products are disclosed in Canadian Patent 1,244,350 issued Nov. 8, 1988 for a skin care and shaving composition; Canadian patent application 2,161,285 published Apr. 26, 1996 disclosing a cosmetic composition; and Canadian Patent Application 2,130,450 published Sep. 2, 1993 disclosing insect repellent. Each of these references is directed towards products adapted for application to the skin and incorporate natural oils. However, these natural oils are not suitable as a general replacement for petroleum jelly but rather are disclosed in specific mixtures in products applied to skin These products also do not overcome the disadvantages of a petroleum jelly base such as a low melting temperature or are based on hydrogenated oils which congeal at room temperature into a jelly like substance but which when heated or when reaching above average room temperatures may result in reduced shelf life as well as objectionable feel and odor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,361 issued Oct. 21, 1997 and discloses a solid or pasty make-up composition. The composition is comprised of a fatty phase and a pulverulent phase. The fatty phase is 20-70% by weight of the total weight of the composition. The pulverulent phase is a light powder which is present in an amount of 5-30% by weight of the total composition. This patent is directed towards a process for preparing the make-up composition. In this process, the powder is used for the processing and pressing of the composition and reacts with the other ingredients in the make-up to form a final product. The fatty phase may incorporate a vegetable oil. This composition provides a product with an improved feel on application but it does not provide for a product with a raised melting point or a product which will not separate out on heating.
There therefore is a need for a general replacement for petroleum jelly as a base for products for application to skin which is non-petroleum based as well as a jelly which is primarily or completely oil-free and also non-toxic but maintains the physical and aesthetic attributes of petroleum jelly. Here, the definition of a toxic substance is any substance which kills cells on contact and/or any endocrine disrupting substance as tested using the LUMI-CELL® techniques perfected by Dr. George Clark, director of Xenobiotics in Durham, N.C. It is also advantageous and a subject of the present disclosure to provide an oil-free, substantially oil-free, or even oil containing jelly that meets all Ecocert® certifications and approvals.
There is also a need for a replacement for petroleum jelly suitable for use in a variety of products, including lubrication enhancers, anti-corrosive agents, as well as general purpose manufacturing and household products such that providing a jelly-like petroleum free substance creates an improved or enhanced product or handling of the product. Further, there is a need for a replacement for petroleum jelly, the replacement being derived from natural ingredients such as plant products that does not require vegetable oils, especially hydrogenated vegetable oils and is derived from vegetable based glycerine and one or more vegetable derived emulsifiers.